ACTION KIT: Guide to Going Local – tips for building stronger, healthier, and more vibrant communities

August 13, 2013

No one wants to live in Anywhere, USA.

Local matters. Every city and town is unique in its people, talents, and needs—and this uniqueness should be embraced and nurtured. Strong local economies lead to communities that are self-reliant, provide quality jobs, and are fun places to live. We all want vibrant local economies and healthy downtown areas—but how do we get there?

The second guide in New Dream's Community Action Kit will help you go local. It's full of ideas and advice on how to strengthen the local economy in your town: through buying local, highlighting new entrepreneurs, instilling local pride, investing locally, and more.

With how-to tips, fun videos, and useful resources, the Guide to Going Local will provide the inspiration and practical tools you need to get started on these projects in your community – right away!

The guide is produced in collaboration with BALLE and explores four Action Ideas to help communities go local:

Build Pride in Your Local Place – with a focus on local pride videos

Foster Local Entrepreneurship – with a focus on pop-up retail

Buy Local (and Sustainable) – with a focus on cash mobs

Invest Locally – with a focus on pitchfests

Thank you to our backers!

The Guide to Going Local was a crowdfunded project made possible by over 150 individual backers around the country. Thank you to all the donors who made this project a reality!

Tell Us What You Think!

Do you find the Guide to Going Local useful? Have you tried our project ideas in your community? Please email us or share your stories, questions, tips, and other feedback.

About New Dream's Community Action Kit

The Guide to Going Local is part of the New Dream Community Action Kit, a series of free online guides to help people organize collective action and civic engagement to build more sustainable, healthier, and happier communities.